Tuesday
Choose Your Own Faith Adventure!
You have chosen Moses's Faith Adventure!
Based on Exodus 5-15
Pictures by Moody Publishers
The Israelite people had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years. They were treated terribly by the Pharaoh. God sent Moses to free them from the Pharoah.
During the night, Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. He said to them, “Get out of here! You and the Israelites, leave my people! Go. Worship the Lord, just as you have asked. Go. Take your flocks and herds, just as you have said. And also give me your blessing.”
The Egyptians begged the people of Israel to hurry up and leave the country. “If you don’t,” they said, “we’ll all die!” So the people took their dough before the yeast was added to it. They carried it on their shoulders in bowls for kneading bread. The bowls were wrapped in clothes. They did just as Moses had directed them. They asked the Egyptians for things made out of silver and gold. They also asked them for clothes. The Lord had caused the Egyptians to treat the Israelites in a kind way. So the Egyptians gave them what they asked for. The Israelites took many expensive things that belonged to the Egyptians.
The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men old enough to go into battle. The women and children went with them. So did many other people. The Israelites also took large flocks and herds with them.
The Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years. Then all the Lord’s people marched out of Egypt like an army. That happened at the end of the 430 years, to the exact day. The Lord kept watch that night to bring them out of Egypt. So on that same night every year all the Israelites must keep watch. They must do it to honor the Lord for all time to come.
So God led the people toward the Red Sea by taking them on a road through the desert. The Israelites were ready for battle when they went up out of Egypt.
By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud. It guided them on their way.
At night he led them with a pillar of fire. It gave them light. So they could travel by day or at night. The pillar of cloud didn’t leave its place in front of the people during the day. And the pillar of fire didn’t leave its place at night.
“I will make Pharaoh stubborn. He will chase them. But I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh and his whole army. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites camped by the Red Sea.
Then Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them. They said, “What have we done? We’ve let the people of Israel go! We’ve lost our slaves and all the work they used to do for us!” So he had his chariot made ready. He took his army with him. He took 600 of the best chariots in Egypt. So he chased the Israelites as they were marching out boldly. They caught up with the Israelites as they camped by the sea.
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked back. There were the Egyptians marching after them! The Israelites were terrified. They cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Why did you bring us to the desert to die? Weren’t there any graves in Egypt? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? We told you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians.’ It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here in the desert!”
Moses answered the people. He said, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you today. Do you see those Egyptians? You will never see them again. The Lord will fight for you. Just be still.”
Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “Hold out your walking stick. Reach out your hand over the Red Sea to divide the water. Then the people can go through the sea on dry ground. I will make the Egyptians stubborn. They will go in after the Israelites. I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh, his army, chariots and horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”
Then Moses reached out his hand over the Red Sea. All that night the Lord pushed the sea back with a strong east wind. He turned the sea into dry land. The waters were divided. The people of Israel went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left.
The Egyptians chased them. All Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. Near the end of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud. He saw the Egyptian army and threw it into a panic. He jammed the wheels of their chariots. That made the chariots hard to drive. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for Israel against Egypt.”
But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of Egypt. The Israelites saw the amazing power the Lord showed against the Egyptians. So the Israelites had great respect for the Lord and put their trust in him. They also put their trust in his servant Moses.
Moses’ Faith Adventure – Moses trusted God when he faced Pharaoh and told him to set the Israelites free from Egypt. Moses was not disappointed – God did an amazing miracle by parting the Red Sea so the Israelites could cross to safety on dry land.
In the same way, you will not be disappointed when you trust God and obey him. You will see him do miracles in your life too!
Want to read another faith adventure? CLICK HERE to read the story of Joshua.
